


Overdrive

by Hopefullyhope



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Depression, Friendship, inaccurate depictions of depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-27
Updated: 2016-09-27
Packaged: 2018-08-18 04:10:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8148695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hopefullyhope/pseuds/Hopefullyhope
Summary: When Tyler was down, Josh had to be up. He had to prove he was okay, and he could take care of everything. But Josh was so tired; so tired he couldn’t even think straight.





	

Josh was so tired. So tired he couldn’t even think straight. Tyler had been having a rough week, and it was taking its toll on all of them. The minute Tyler was down for the count, so depressed he was barely getting out of bed, Josh had taken over everything.   
See, Josh was not a man of words or feelings really. He grew up in a house where you were expected to be okay unless “something traumatic happened” and that your acceptance was based on your functionality. The more you accomplished, the more okay you were. So when Tyler was down, Josh had to be up. He had to prove he was okay by doing.   
And just because Tyler was down didn't mean the tour stopped. So they were still performing, Tyler finding the will somewhere deep inside him to save those kids, trying to make it about others. But he wasn't up for meeting the fans, so Josh went every night over the course of the week, and he did all the sound checks and got himself and Tyler ready for concerts. He was in constant contact with both his and Tyler's families, assuring Kelly that Tyler was doing alright and that he was watching him and making sure it didn't go too far.   
But Josh was tired. Because every night, after Tyler had spent the entire day in bed, he would have terrible nightmares at night, or else would be unable to sleep and would need to talk or to write. Either way, it was Josh's job while on tour to comfort Tyler and be with him when he went to these dark places. So Josh stayed up with him without complaint, performed in their concerts, and handled their daily affairs. Yes, he was exhausted, but it was fine. He isn't in a dark place, Tyler is, so he had to be functioning. 

Tyler resurfaced at noontime on a Wednesday. Almost everyone had been out, except mark, who was watching tv on their little tour bus set. He'd stepped out of the sleepin area and mark had whipped around and broke into a big smile.   
“Glad your back”  
“ me too. I'm sorry for ev  
“Knock it off. You can't help it. It's really no big deal. As long as your okay.”   
“ yeah, but I'm starving,” he leaned down to smell his shirt, “and I stink.”   
After he'd bathed and eaten, he went to straighten up. As if depression wasn't enough, it often left the sufferers house or living space in a state of disrepair. But Tyler was surprised to find everything mostly clean. Even his sheets had been changed, but he didn't recall that ever happening.   
“Mark, who changed my sheets?”  
“Oh Josh, man, the dudes been on overdrive. He changed them and kept this place functioning pretty well. He makes a good second in command.”   
After that he and mark played some video games together. And then mark had some official creative business to attend to or something and left. Tyler putted around for a while and made dinner ( a box of Kraft cuz they live on a bus), and waited. At about 6:00 Josh came busting in at full speed. He looked at Tyler and smiled till his eyes squinted.   
“Dude. Hi.” Tyler said awkwardly but so like his normal self, Josh didn't even notice. They hugged.  
“Do I smell Mac and cheese?” Josh asked, “dude I'm starving! Long day.”   
They ate together and completely caught up on what they'd missed.   
“Josh I have to go into my journals.” Tyler reminded a few hours later.   
Josh sucked in a shaky breath and looked at Tyler seriously.   
“I have to look, but you know I can't look alone.”   
“Tyler . . . “  
“I know it's stressful but I really need you here . . . “  
“Tyler, it's not that. You know I'm there man, whatever through anything. It just that, can it wait a night?”   
“Oh yeah totally. I'm sorry for”  
“No I'm sorry I'm just really beat. It's been a long couple of days.” Josh looks so guilty.  
“Quit it with the face, Josh. It's all chill. We can look tomorrow” Tyler smiles and it's contagious.   
They settle down to watch a movie, some Netflix find that looked half interesting. Josh is snoring before the opening credits are through, however, so Tyler sends him to bed. He's surprised by how little Josh protests. 

The next day mark busts in to wake Tyler up for some radio interviews they have that day, and when Tyler turns to wake Josh, mark stops him silently and just shakes his head.   
“Is everything okay?” Tyler asks mark on the way to the interview.   
“Yeah?”   
“Then why did we just leave Josh behind?”  
Mark has the decency to look a little guilty.   
“Listen its, well.” He sighs. “The guys tired, Tyler. He took care of everything while you were sick, even you. And he didn’t want the fans to worry or catch on, so he kept it all flowing. Dudes a machine, man. But he needs sleep.”  
Tyler chuckled, thinking about how great it was to have Josh around, and plotting out how to get taco bell to bring home.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Friends. Stay alive. Stay positive. Comment if you feel inclined. I'm always free to talk \o/  
> Also I have no beta reader so forgive my mistakes please


End file.
